Bike to Work scheme - the Megathread - Read post #1 before posting

sandy2000 · 10-03-2022 11:23am

Sorry for another question but couldnt see the answer in the thread. I had a bike on order through the CTW scheme but it's been delayed massively so having to cancel it. My employer uses BTW and they had started salary deductions already. They're claiming that the BTW salary sacrifice cannot be cancelled and repaid. Does anyone have any idea if that's right? Seems odd that the scheme applies even if the bike ordered doesnt actually show up?

magicbastarder · 10-03-2022 11:34am

if the BTW has been cancelled, have your employers been refunded the money? if they have and they are still applying a salary sacrifice, they've basically pocketed the money which should be your salary.

hard to tell what a way out of this is for you though, you need to talk to your employer again.

loyatemu · 10-03-2022 12:34pm

had they paid the supplier yet?

I've had a bike on order since August but I paid the deposit myself and won't setup the C2W payments until it arrives.

Seth Brundle · 10-03-2022 1:10pm

Are your employers using one of the middlemen companies ~~who do nothing to help either side really but still take a massive cut~~? It is possible that they have been paid but not yet paid the bike shop as the bike has not arrived.

CramCycle · 10-03-2022 1:15pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118761577#Comment_118761577

It can be if it hasn't been paid out yet, if it has they would have to wait until it comes back to them. Did the bike shop get the money?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118762171#Comment_118762171

The money might be in the middlemens account or the bike shop have already taken it. Find out where the money is. Legally it should go back to your employer and then they refund your salary sacrifice, fairly simple. If the bike shop have it in their hand, they may offer you the illegal option of cash into your hand. Not illegal for them but it is illegal for you (tax avoidance).

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118722516#Comment_118722516

They aren't exempt, CRC just has them included.

sandy2000 · 10-03-2022 3:14pm

Thanks everyone. I suspect the money is still with the middlemen that my employer uses. Theyre the ones claiming it can't be refunded. Ive queried it anyway so hopefully it will get sorted.

Seth Brundle · 10-03-2022 4:27pm

You should be able to get the ~~thieving feckers~~ middlemen to change the retail outlet

Jesper · 30-03-2022 1:24pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118763518#Comment_118763518

I'm looking at getting my first BTW this year. I can tell you most bike shops I've spoken to already absolutely hate the middlemen and the 12.5% they take. But also how they want to put them on credit and keep them in backlog. 2 companies refuse to go with them. One said they will go with them but I have to pay the 12.5% surcharge. Apparently a new provider is entering at a 6.5% charge.

My company uses TravelHub - Bike to Work. I don't know if that is owned by one4all - which is vehemently hated.

Anywhoo,

Trek Domane AL3 €1,199 vs Giant Contend AR 3 €1,279. Any other options I should look at? apparently a few Trek's coming to Ireland this week.

Seth Brundle · 30-03-2022 2:14pm

My company uses TravelHub - Bike to Work.

Check with your company and explain the situation to them. Once my HR dept realised, they were happy to allow payments directly to the LBS.

byrnem31 · 03-04-2022 7:15am

Its tricky getting a bike now due to stock issues as some employers will not pay for the bike unless you physically have it yourself. That means, if you order a bike now and it arrives november for example, you notify employer and they start taking huge payments out as it has to be paid by end of year, ie. December.

CramCycle · 03-04-2022 7:49am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118872942#Comment_118872942

It's 12 months, not the end of the year to pay it off unless your employer has specific rules.

cletus · 03-04-2022 9:43am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118872979#Comment_118872979

Different payrolls have implemented their own rules.

In my place, it's paid over 11 months, January to November.

In my wife's place, payments are made over 12 months, but there's a six week window in the year when they will process the payments.

I haven't heard of employers not releasing the money until you actually have the bike before, though.

griffdaddy · 02-05-2022 10:10am

Has any civil servant managed to purchase an ebike priced more than €1500 through Peoplepoint? They say they'll reject any invoices more than €1500 so that would exclude pretty much, well, all ebikes?

magicbastarder · 02-05-2022 10:12am

just get the bike shop to issue a split invoice - one for €1500 and one for the balance you'll be paying?

FFVII · 02-05-2022 9:31pm

why is their a shortage of bikes??

cletus · 02-05-2022 9:34pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119007445#Comment_119007445

A combination of factories having been closed during various lockdowns, and a spike in bike sales, due in part to the same lockdowns.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.omniaretail.com/blog/bicycly-industry-supply-chain-crisis-growth%3fhs_amp%3Dtrue

FFVII · 02-05-2022 9:38pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119007458#Comment_119007458

OK, so how is that means to hike the price?

cletus · 02-05-2022 10:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119007485#Comment_119007485

I don't have an answer to that

fat bloke · 02-05-2022 10:15pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119007485#Comment_119007485

More customers for less product. -Has that not always been a recipe for price hikes?

magicbastarder · 02-05-2022 11:07pm

yep, if you'd sell 10,000 bikes at €1000, and 5000 bikes at €1,200, and 1,000 bikes at €1,400 - and you only have 1000 bikes available anyway, you up the price to €1,400 and sell them.

and that's facilitated by your competitor only having 1000 bikes to sell too.

FFVII · 02-05-2022 11:31pm

I'm starting to get a bit peed off looking at the likes of Kingspan and billionaire heirs to food companies raking in even more billions simply cuz they are hiking the sh1t out of prices with no extra costs to themselves and just saying "Uh, brexit and covid ya know"

MojoMaker · 03-05-2022 8:11am

Oh for sure there's an element of opportunism at play here too.

byrnem31 · 11-05-2022 7:06pm

Ok, my cube agree c62 has been cancelled until August meaning i will miss the season after waiting 8 months for a bike.

I used my ctw to pay 1500 off the bike. The shop has been paid. Is it cheeky asking for my 1500 back to add to the 1500 i have and try my luck elsewhere or go 2nd hand? Can it be done?

griffdaddy · 11-05-2022 7:09pm

Double post

griffdaddy · 11-05-2022 7:10pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119004784#Comment_119004784

The shop (Super 73) were completely inflexible in pretty much every way you could imagine. I'm looking elsewhere now.

Squidgy Black · 11-05-2022 7:29pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119047783#Comment_119047783

Depends how the 1500 was paid to the bike shop. If it was an invoice paid directly from your employer, or your employer gave you the money then shouldn’t be an issue, unless they insist on refunding it back to your employer.

If it was through one of those voucher crowds, then it’s a bit messier as they’ll have to refund the transaction to the voucher crowd.

byrnem31 · 11-05-2022 7:34pm

I think it was paid from my employer. I work in the public sector. Thank you. I should get something decent 2nd hand for 3k.

FFVII · 11-05-2022 9:34pm

Have bike shops just not ordered bikes in, enough of them? I remember buying mine I wanted a yellow and he didn't have and couldn't get as he got his order and thats all he was getting.

Cube bike

byrnem31 · 11-05-2022 9:37pm

I was told today they shut down the shimano factory for a while and that screwed everything up.

cletus · 11-05-2022 9:47pm

Parts supply chains were disrupted during the various COVID lockdowns. On top of that, demand for bikes went through the roof at the same time.

Supply chain issues are not limited to bikes and bike parts

Bike to Work scheme - the Megathread - Read post #1 before posting

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